What is the "recipe" for a salt dip fo betta fin rot?

[Mark and Jennifer Nation]

I have a betta with fin rot that I can't seem to cure. For 10 weeks I think I've tried everything. Aquarium salt added to the water, several different antibiotics, water changes with gravel cleaning every other day, etc., etc. He is alone in a 5 gallon tank with heater, sponge filter, small HOB filter, one big silk silk plant. He's swimming and eating fine but his fins are getting shorter and shorter. I'd like to give him salt dips but find conflicting information on how much aquarium salt to use, and how often to do it, and for what duration each time.
I've had him 2 years or so.......
Thanks for any advice!

 

[Mikey G]

I have a betta with fin rot that I can't seem to cure. For 10 weeks I think I've tried everything. Aquarium salt added to the water, several different antibiotics, water changes with gravel cleaning every other day, etc., etc. He is alone in a 5 gallon tank with heater, sponge filter, small HOB filter, one big silk silk plant. He's swimming and eating fine but his fins are getting shorter and shorter. I'd like to give him salt dips but find conflicting information on how much aquarium salt to use, and how often to do it, and for what duration each time.
I've had him 2 years or so.......
Thanks for any advice!

I actually heard a long time ago, and have used this method before. I've had fish for a long time, and iodized table salt has worked for some of my fish with the same problem.

 

[Fishmanic]

From what I have read, Iodized salt is not recommended. It is much more preferable to use Aquarium salt as sold in pet shops and online.

 

[FishGuest5123]

I actually heard a long time ago, and have used this method before. I've had fish for a long time, and iodized table salt has worked for some of my fish with the same problem.

No! Don’t use iodized salt. Not only can the iodine affect the fish but the caking agent in table salt is harmful to them. It’s not worth the risk. Aquarium salt baths can burn your fish. I would continue the salt in tank. @Sfish just successfully treated a horrible case of fin rot. Look at post “Fin Rot Not Going Away”. A pic of the med is posted. It was tetracycline. Thanks to Sfish for sharing.

 

[Colin_T]

Before you add any more chemicals or start manhandling the fish, lets try to find out what the actual problem is and what is causing it.

Any chance of a picture and short 20 second video of the fish?
If the pictures are too big for the website, set the camera's resolution to its lowest setting and take some more. The lower resolution will make the images smaller and they should fit on this website. Check the pictures on your pc and find a couple that are clear and show the problem, and post them here. Make sure you turn the camera's resolution back up after you have taken the pics otherwise all your pictures will be small.

If the video is too big for this website, post it on YouTube and copy & paste the link here. We can view it at YouTube. If you are using a mobile phone to take the video, have the phone horizontal so the video takes up the entire screen. If you have the phone vertical, you get video in the middle and black on either side.

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Fin rot is normally caused by poor water quality that allows bacteria into the skin, where it grows and eats the tissue.

What is the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH of the tank water?
What sort of filter do you have on the tank?
How often do you clean the filter?
How do you clean the filter?
Do you have carbon (black granules) in the filter?

How often do you do water changes?
How much water do you change?
Do you gravel clean the substrate when you do a water change?
Do you dechlorinate the new water before adding it to the tank?

What do you feed the fish and how much do you feed it?

What is the temperature of his tank water?

How much salt did you add to his tank?
How long did you have salt in the tank for?

What medications have you used so far?
How long did you use each medication for?
How did you treat the tank?

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Anti-biotics should only be used on known bacterial infections that have not responded to normal fish medications. Improper use or mis-use of anti-biotics can cause drug resistant bacteria that can kill people, animals, birds and fish.

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Giving fish salt dips or any sort of chemical dip is bad for them. Every time you catch them and lift them out of the water, you potentially damage them and allow more entry points for the bad bacteria to get in and affect them.

If you want to add salt to the tank that is fine, but find out what the problem is first.

Your fish is 2 years old and could simply be suffering from old age. In which case, all the salt and chemicals isn't going to do anything to help him.
You could try feeding him more variety in his diet.

Maybe add more plants or rearrange the tank.​

Give him more mental stimulation in case he is bored and biting his tail.
Put a mirror next to his tank for a couple of minutes twice a week. Let him flare up at it and after a couple of minutes remove the mirror so he thinks he has driven the intruder away.